Researchers Consider Nuclear Explosives To Prevent Asteroid Impact On The Moon

However, the asteroid's trajectory still suggests a potential impact on the moon, sparking concerns about the consequences of such an event. The researchers explored various strategies to prevent the asteroid's impact, including deflection techniques like NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which has successfully altered the trajectory of asteroids in the past.

Nevertheless, the team concluded that nuclear explosives would be a more effective option for handling larger asteroids and shorter warning times. According to Brent Barbee, one of the researchers behind the paper, nuclear explosives are capable of handling larger asteroids and → or shorter warning times than other methods.

In an interview with Newsweek, Barbee explained that the team suggested deploying two nuclear explosive devices, each five to eight times stronger than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These devices would be launched toward the asteroid in an attempt to disrupt it before it reaches the moon.

A newly proposed plan by a team of scientists, including NASA researchers, suggests using nuclear explosive devices to prevent an asteroid from ...

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